In latest jibe over Manmohan Singh, BJP questions Rahul Gandhi’s trip, denial of Bharat Ratna to former PM

“While the country is mourning Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown abroad to bring in the New Year even as nation observes 7 days of mourning Congress doesn’t care for Dr Manmohan Singh They abused and insulted him during his lifetime They continue to do so now Yesterday nobody went to collect his ashes. Congress even denied Bharat Ratna to Dr Manmohan Singh as per latest disclosures This is their true face,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said.

Congress Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore countered Poonawalla, calling it a “Take Diversion” politics. “The way Modi denied Dr. Saheb a place for cremation on the Yamuna banks and how his ministers cornered Dr. Saheb’s family is shameful. If Mr Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you?” asked Tagore.

The BJP also attacked the Congress citing former deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission of India Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s statement that Singh had asked him whether he should resign “post Rahul Gandhi Ordinance row”.

In a post on X, the BJP referred to Gandhi publicly tearing an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Singh to shield convicted legislators from immediate disqualification in 2013. It reiterated its charge that the Congress always insulted Dr Manmohan Singh, highlighting four charges — that the party reduced him to a puppet PM; that it installed the NAC above him to reduce the stature of the PM; that an Ordinance by his government was torn publicly, and that the Nehru-Gandhi family did not accompany his family during the immersion of his ashes.

Before this, the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the Nehru-Gandhi family for not accompanying the family of Dr Singh for the immersion of his ashes, calling it an “insult” to the memory of the former PM.

After that Congress leader and Chairman for Media and Publicity Department Pawan Khera said Monday it was “out of our deference to the privacy of the family” that senior leaders of the party did not accompany them, and that Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at their residence after the cremation.

A day before, Khera had said “the focus was on Prime Minister Narendra Modi” during the funeral. The Congress also alleged that Dr Singh’s family members were not accommodated in the front row during the cremation and PM Modi was “sitting when the tricolour was being handed over to the former PM’s wife”.

The BJP IT department head Amit Malviya countered Khera’s allegations and accused the Congress of politicising the death of Manmohan Singh.

Dr Singh passed away Thursday at the age of 92, and was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat.